Accepting the Inevitable
by ieatboyss
Summary: After a confession is made, Bulma and Vegeta have an intense argument. He decides to swallow his pride and apologize, hoping to fix their relationship. While waiting in her room to discuss the things that were said, he falls asleep. When he wakes up he is no longer at Capsule Corp or on Earth. He's back on his home planet. The planet Frieza destroyed over two decades ago.
1. The Argument

_"So I had a dream, it meant everything, and I watched it come alive._  
_Then I let you in, underneath my skin, and I learned to love the lies._  
_Now I lay awake and I contemplate, have I become what I hate? _  
_Can I take it back cause it's all I have? _  
_Will it get the best of me?"_

I Prevail - Bow Down

* * *

He was exhausted, frustrated, pissed off and…guilty? At least he assumed it was guilt. He had never quite experienced guilt so he wasn't too sure if that was the proper word for the way he felt in regards to a certain blue haired harpy. Being exhausted, frustrated and pissed was something he was used to. He was pissed off and frustrated with himself for multiple reasons. He still had not ascended which was an issue for sometime now. However, the woman added guilt to the mix. He couldn't stop thinking about her or the argument they had the last time they spoke.

Bulma was pissed at him again and for once he was entertaining the thought that he may actually have done something wrong. They had been together for a few months now. Maybe "together" wasn't exactly the right word for what was going on between them. Fucking excessively was a more accurate description. They had specifically agreed on the parameters of their relationship prior to jumping into bed together. _"The damn woman was the one that stated 'no emotions no attachments just sex.' If she had stuck to the damn arrangement we wouldn't be in this situation."_

A week ago, during round 2 of a particularly rough session in bed, she ruined their perfectly good arrangement by uttering a few words, "Kami Vegeta I love you". Her hands immediately shot up to cover her face which was now a dark shade of red. He stopped mid thrust to look at the her and digest what she just said. After a couple moments of silence, he responded.

"Woman. . what did you just say?" he asked. He could tell she was nervous by the way she refused to make eye contact with him and was fidgeting with part of the sheets.

"I said. . I love you. Look, I know we agreed on no attachments and no emotions. But it sort of just happened. I'm not even sure when to be honest." she said nervously. He pulled out of her and slowly sat back on his knees.

He looked into her eyes and simply said "no" as he got off the bed and started to look for his clothes.

"What do you mean 'no'? It's not something I can just turn off ya know! Trust me when I say that I have tried. You think I want to have feelings for an emotionally constipated alien? You think I don't know how you feel about me?" she said while sitting up in the bed.

He opened his mouth to speak but before he could she raised a hand to stop him and continued.

"I know what you're going to say. Something along the lines of 'emotions and attachments are for weaklings. Saiyan's do not waste their time with such pathetic emotions etc. etc." she said while trying to do her best impression of his deep gruff voice.

Once dressed he turned his back on her and started to walk towards the door when she spoke again.

"So that's it? All I get is a 'no' and nothing else? I don't expect you to confess your undying love for me Vegeta but the least you could do is acknowledge my feelings." she said while pulling the sheets up to cover her nude body.

She suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable and self conscious. He paused for a moment and turned his head to look over his shoulder and immediately regretted it. The look of hurt and rejection on her face was painfully evident.

For a second he considered turning around, climbing back into bed, and admitting he somewhat had feelings for her as well. What those feelings were, he wasn't sure, but they were there nonetheless. That thought was quickly overwhelmed by a feeling of disgust at himself for even considering being so pathetic.

After brushing aside the thought, he turned back to open the door "God damn it Vegeta. . I'm pregnant" she said in a shaky voice.

Once again, he paused and slowly turned to look at her. Only this time his face had gone from a nice tan tone to ghostly pale while her face was wet from the few tears that slipped out before making her confession. He stared at her intensely, too intensely. After the silence in the room had surpassed awkward and was now full on unbearable she continued to ramble..

"I was going to tell you sooner but I wasn't sure how you felt about me or if you would even care. Based on your response a few moments ago, I know. I would be an idiot to think you would be excited. Hell, I'm not really even excited, I'm fucking terrified. I didn't really ever consider having kids, much less right now when the world is supposedly going to end soon. I'm not expecting you to be happy or to even be a part of his life."

"You can still stay here and train here. I'm not kicking you out. I'm not sure what I'll say when he asks who you are since you live with us or if he asks where and who his dad is but I'm sure by that time I'll be able to come up with something. My point is that I'm keeping the baby whether you plan to be a part of his life or not. You have the option of being involved but whatever choice you make gets made once. You don't get to decide you want nothing to do with him until he's old enough to train then suddenly you're interested in being a part of his life. You are either in all the way or not at all".

After taking a deep breath and opening her eyes she looked at him, waiting (and hoping) for some sort of response this time.

A million thoughts were running through his head at once. He wasn't sure at what point the room started to get hot but he found himself suddenly sweating. The first thought that went through his head was _"What the actual fuck just happened?"_. Followed by a slew of other thoughts and emotions he intended once he was alone. "_I need to get out of this damn bedroom and away from the damn woman._"

He took a deep breath, avoiding the woman's eyes and finally spoke. "You're right".

"I'm. . right?" she asked in a quiet timid voice.

_He has never told me I'm right about anything. Whatever he says is not going to be pleasant_

"You're right. . for once. Feelings and attachments are for weaklings and not for a Saiyan elite like myself. I'm glad you didn't spend any time entertaining the idea that I may have any sort of feelings for you. You're nothing but a body to warm my bed at night. I thought that was something we both understood. Apparently I overestimated your intelligence. However, you are intelligent enough to realize I would not be pleased to hear that you are carrying a half breed. You're smart enough to know I would never tarnish my family name by acknowledging a half breed as my heir." He said with the cruel sneer.

Before he realized it, she was across the room and in his face. She raised her hand and struck him across the face.. hard. Not hard enough to hurt but hard enough to feel it. His eyes widened in shock. Not only from being slapped but from the look of pure rage on her face. He had seen her made plenty of times, but not like this.

"Do you want to know why you were not the first Saiyan to ascend? Why a 'third class sorry excuse for a Saiyan' with no knowledge of the Super Saiyan legend was able to ascend when the Prince of all Saiyans can't? I have had some time to think about it and I've come to one conclusion. Stop and think about what the differences between you and Goku. Don't include that power level or training bullshit and don't give me that shit about your birthright and royal blood. You're royal and he's not, you both have close to the same power level, and you train harder than he ever has. So it can't be because of that Saiyan ranking bullshit, or bloodlines, or power levels, or the amount of training you do."

"Take a minute to think about the differences between you two men. Have you ever stopped to really compare yourself to him instead of looking down on him? What makes him different than every other Saiyan that's ever tried to ascend? It's the very thing you consider such a disgusting weakness. Emotions and attachments. Think about it. You said there hasn't been a Super Saiyan in centuries. You say Saiyans are above feelings and attachments yet the one Saiyan that wasn't raised like a typical Saiyan, the one that was raised to believe emotions and attachments are actually a strength, is the one to attain what so many others couldn't."

"He ascended when Krillin, his best friend, was murdered in cold blood right in front of him. He didn't ascend because he trained hard in high amounts of gravity, but because of the emotional response Frieza's actions caused. Coincidence? I doubt it, but you can think what you want. I'm not the one trying to ascend." She paused a moment to catch her breath as her chest heaved up and down and her hands trembled at her sides with rage. After a few moments she continued her tirade.

"You asked me once why I invited you here to stay after Namek. At the time I wasn't sure but the more I thought about it the clearer the answer was. Despite despite what you wanted people to think, I didn't see some bloodthirsty monster that killed people for pleasure. I saw a man that was raised in the shittiest circumstances possible. A man with nothing but his title and the clothes on his back. A prince with no kingdom and no people. A good man that did what was necessary to survive. I fully believed you'd one day ascend and surpass Goku. . .But I was wrong. You're not a good man. You're a cold hearted bastard that couldn't possibly understand what it's like to care about anyone other than himself. You'll never ascend on strength and training alone and without those two things, you're nothing but a bitter lonely asshole. I feel sorry for you".

Her hands stopped shaking with rage and her breathing returned to normal. She stared at him for a moment before turning her back on him and turning towards the door. Normally, he would have been incredibly turned on by the sight in front of him. Instead he felt nothing but anger after her words sank in. Without thinking, he grabbed her by the throat and pinned her against the door.

He wasn't squeezing her throat tight enough to hurt but it was tight enough to get the reaction he thought he wanted. For the first time since Namek, he saw genuine fear in her eyes. He thought he wanted, to intimidate and scare the woman that has disrespected him time and time again. It didn't make him feel better. Now he was angry at her for what she had said to him and angry at himself for regretting his actions.

With a sneer and gritted teeth, he leaned in closer to her face. "You stupid arrogant little bitch. You speak as if you know me but you don't know shit. You act like you're so much better than me when you're nothing but a stuck up slut that opens her legs to the first man that pays her the slightest bit of attention. I would love nothing more than to snap your pathetic little neck right here and now. However, I am bound by honor to keep the vow I made to destroy the androids. Once I've defeated them and your precious Goku, I will leave this god forsaken planet and blow it the fuck up, along with you and everyone else you care about".

He thought this was finally going to shut her up, at least long enough to end the conversation so he could leave the room. Instead, he noticed the fear on her face slowly dissipating, only to be replaced with a look of defiance and anger. While staring straight into his eyes, he said the one thing he had never expected.

"Do it."

"What?" His grip on her throat slowly loosened.

"You heard me. I said do it. Don't give me that shit about keeping your word to defeat the androids. If you're going to destroy my planet anyways save us all time and do it now. I'd rather die with my friends and family than watch them die one by one at the hands of the androids. I've never asked you for anything. I have never asked you for any sort of compensation for my help and hospitality. So I'll ask you for that. If you're going to destroy my planet either way, do it now. Do it before I have the ability to feel our son move inside of me. Do it before I get the chance to look at his face or hear his voice. You could at least do that much for me".

For the first time since meeting her, he was completely speechless. Out of all of the things for the her to say, asking for him to kill her and everyone she loved was not the response he was expecting. A look of shock quickly flashed across his face. She was not a quiet woman and had no issue speaking her mind, even when staring death itself in the face. As usual, her anger got the best of her as she continued speaking, essentially ending the conversation.

"You've spent more than half your life trying to overthrow and defeat a tyrant that not only killed your family, but destroyed your entire planet, just because he wanted to and because he has the power to do it. Yet here you are with your hand around my throat threatening to destroy my planet, kill my friends, my family, me, and your son. For no other reason than because you want to and because you have the power to do it. So do it. I'm tired of your threats. Just know that once it's done. . you're no better than he was."

He just stood there staring at her. After a few moments without a response, she brought her hands up and slowly removed the hand he had wrapped around her throat. She slid out from between him and the wall and left the room.

Since their argument he had been avoiding her like the plague and going over the argument in his head. He had never been so distracted and conflicted in his life. He was losing sleep and skipping training.

_"Did the woman ever actually intend for our arrangement to be free of attachments? Maybe she purposely impregnated herself to tie me to this god forsaken mud ball of a planet once she realized she had feelings for me. She said she never thought about having brats before. Was she lying?"_

_"Was I planning to staying on this planet after I've destroyed the androids? I have nowhere else to go. The thought of aimlessly wandering from planet to planet in a pod forever does not sound very appealing."_

_"Would having a half-breed really be that bad considering how strong Kakarot's spawn is? Inevitably mine would be twice as strong as that clown's brat."_

_"Wait.. she said 'he'. I have a son? How does she know already whether it's a male or female?"_

_"Do I actually want a brat? I never considered it before, it was never an option. I do not want the Saiyan race to die out with me, but a half breed? Just another indiscretion to add to the growing list of reasons why my Father and ancestors are disgusted with me. I would be bringing shame to my ancestors more than I already have. But if I want an heir. . I don't really have a choice than to breed with another species. It's not like there are any female Saiyan's left."_

_"If I were to have a child with anyone on this planet, it would be the woman. If it wasn't for her pathetic power level and lack of tail, she could easily pass as a Saiyan based on her attitude alone. She's probably the most intelligent being I've ever come across and gods is she beautiful. Do I have 'feelings' for her. No. . I don't. But if that were true I wouldn't be driving myself insane by obsessing over the argument." _

_"Was she right about ascending? Is the reason I haven't become the Legendary Super Saiyan because I've detached myself from others and any type of emotional bonds. God damn it! What she said makes sense! Do I give up my pride and admit I do feel something for her in hopes that it will help me ascend?"_

_"Am I lying to myself when I saw I don't care for her? If Saiyan tradition still mattered, would I make her my mate? _

_"Yes_

_"Am I really just like Frieza?"_

He couldn't take it anymore. He was going to drive himself insane. He needed to put his pride aside and confront the woman. Only this time it would be to apologize, and possibly admit he does have some sort of feelings for her. _"I hope things will go back to normal."_ He still hadn't fully decided what he wanted to do about the the child.

_"I should at least stay here long enough to train him. I would rather die by the hands of the woman than let that clown or the Namekian train my son."_

He was mentally preparing himself for the confrontation as he left the gravity room. No matter how many excuses he made, deep down, he knew he wouldn't only be staying for his son. He would be staying because of Bulma, because he cared for her, because he didn't want to leave her.

It was late but Bulma was still in her lab. Since their argument she spent virtually all her time there. _"Probably to avoid me like I've been avoiding her."_ She was usually already in her lab when he woke up to train and there when he went to bed. He took a shower then went to her bedroom to wait for her. As soon as he opened the door her scent hit him. Now, standing in her room, he had to admit to himself just how badly he missed burying his nose in her hair and inhaling her scent before falling asleep. With no intention of sleeping, he sat on her bed. Leaning against the headboard, he closed his eyes to meditate until the woman came to bed.

When he opened his eyes he was not in her bedroom. He was not at the Capsule Corp compound. He wasn't even on Earth. When he opened his eyes he was standing next to his Father, in front of the throne room doors, in the palace on Vegetasei.


	2. Homecoming

When he opened his eyes he was standing up straight and someone was talking to him. He tried to get his bearings and figure out where he was. "I'm definitely no longer in the Woman's bedroom. How did I get here and where exactly am I?"

He gasped out loud when he looked down and saw what he was wearing.

"The formal royal armor. . why am I wearing this? This armor was only worn during mating ceremonies and royal coronations. My tail?! How did I get my tail back? What the fuck is going on and where the hell am I?".

He slowly brought his hands to his face to examine the gloves he was wearing. He turned to see the blood red velvet cape attached to his armor at the shoulders. He was brought out of his thoughts when a deep voice called his name.

"VEGETA! Are you even listening to me boy? You will respect your King and acknowledge me when I am speaking to you!"

He wasn't sure which hit him first. . the voice or the words. Trying and failing miserably to hide the shocked look on his face, he slowly turned around to face the Saiyan King.

"F-f-father?"

"What the hell is wrong with you boy? Of course it's me. I've been talking to you for the last 10 minutes. Did you not hear a damn thing I've said?" His Father said as he pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh.

"I'm going to let that slide considering the circumstances. Listen well because I will not be repeating myself again. Your mother and I are proud of you. Not just because of your strength or your dedication to your training. We are proud of the man you've grown to be. You will make an amazing King and now, you will have an amazing Queen by your side. You couldn't have found a better mate if you tried. The Saiyan empire will prosper under your reign."

"I will admit. . I was not pleased when I discovered your mate was an Earthling, but I am man enough to apologize for the way I treated you both. I only wish I had stopped to get to know our future Queen and your heir before passing judgement. The Princess has already accepted my apology. I really don't care if you do but I would prefer to keep your mothers screeching to a minimum so at least consider it."

He tried desperately to pay attention to what his Father was saying but zoned out after his Father said he he was proud of him. "Father is proud of me? I am a failure to our people, to our ancestors, to him. How could he be proud of me?"

His Father was exactly how he remembered him. A little bit older but still the same man he respected and admired throughout his childhood. He couldn't help but stare. His Father was alive and standing next to him. Not dead in a puddle of his own blood on the floor of Frieza's throne room. He opened his mouth to speak but no words would come out. After a few seconds of silence, the King started to get worried.

"Son. . . are you-" before his Father could finish asking his question, another familiar voice spoke.

"Leave him the hell alone Vegeta. He's just nervous. You should have seen your face during our mating ceremony".

He froze. He knew that voice. He hadn't heard it over two decades but it's something he could never forget.

"M-m-mother?" he said while turning to his left. There was an unfamiliar sting behind his eyes and a tightness in his throat.

With a smile on her face and adoration in her eyes, the Queen of Vegetesai approached him slowly and embraced him.

He wasn't sure at what point he started crying. He tried desperately to hold back the tears, especially while in the presence of his Father. It had been so long since he had seen his Father, he did not want him to think he was weak for crying like an infant in his Mother's arms.

The Queen felt him start trembling in her arms as he tried to calm himself down. While rubbing his back she peered over his shoulder to look at her husband with concern in her eyes. She knew something was wrong with him but wasn't sure what it was. The King shrugged and looked away.

"It's almost time. I must go find your woman. We will see you soon. Get your shit together boy." He turned and walked down the corridor.

Composing himself, Vegeta slowly removed himself from his Mother's embrace.

"Vegeta. . is there something wrong?"

"No. I just. . I've missed you."

"I saw you this morning. . are you sure there's nothing wrong?"

"I'm fine Mother" he said without making eye contact.

"I know you're nervous. . you would be an idiot to not be. This is a big deal. Everyone gets. . what's do the earthlings call it?. . cold feet?"

Without saying a word, he continued to stare at his Mother as he desperately tried to figure out what the hell was going on while also imprinting her scent and image to his memory.

"I don't know what your Father said to you before I walked in but he better have apologized to you for his behavior towards your mate and your son. We are both so proud of you Vegeta. There aren't enough words to describe how proud you've made us."

"I'm a disgrace to our people and our family. Father should be disappointed in me."

"Why in the gods name would you think that? Did he say he was? Did he insinuate he was? I'll kill the bastard. . . after the ceremony of course. You should say goodbye soon though. Tonight may be the last time you see him after I'm done with him."

"NO!" The look on his Mother's face made him realize he was shouting. He cleared his throat and tried again.

"He didn't say anything at all Mother. Don't. . kill him."

"He didn't have to say anything. I know I am a disgrace to our race. I have not ascended. A third class clown was able to ascend to and I can't. He defeated Frieza when I failed. I failed to avenge our people, our planet, and Father."

"The woman I think may be my mate is not Saiyan. I've shown her weakness. I've neglected training to spend time with her. I think about her all the time. She confessed her love for me and like a weakling I wanted to reciprocate the words because I feel the same way. She's an earthling and is pregnant with our half breed son. How are you both not ashamed of me? How can you look at me without disgust in your eyes?"

If his mother was confused about what he said, she didn't show it. Putting one hand on his shoulder and the other on his cheek she said the words he never realized he needed to hear.

"Vegeta. . I don't know . . exactly what happened. . or what you're talking about. . but you need to listen to me very carefully. It doesn't matter whether or not you are able to ascend. I understand your Father beat that legend into you since birth. Yes, in the past the legendary Super Saiyan was of royal blood but that does not guarantee the circumstances will be the same when or if it happens again. If that was the case then there would be a chance of your father ascending. . HA!" she chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

When the expression on his face didn't change, she cleared her throat and continued.

"Whether you ascend or not, it does not matter to us. It does not make us any less proud of you. As the Prince of all Saiyans you should not be bitter towards another for ascending when you could not. You should be honored to witness the legend come to life. You should be his ally instead of looking down on him. He may even be able to train you to ascend yourself. You won't know unless you try. As royalty, it is beneath you to hold such grudges. You should be proud you were able to witness Freiza's demise, not upset because it did not happen by your hand. As for your mate and child. . If I ever hear you call that boy a half breed again, I will rip off your tail with my bare hands. Understand?"

He could only nod as he stood in silence absorbing everything his Mother was saying.

"Your mate is the most amazing woman I have ever met. Regardless of whether or not she is a Saiyan. No Saiyan woman can compare to her. She may not have a high power level or strength to fight like a Saiyan, but she has the mentality of one. I have no doubt she has the ability to cause just as much damage to an enemy as any Saiyan could."

He couldn't help but smirk at that comment, knowing first hand what she is capable of.

"Your Father and I both adore her as if she were our own daughter. As for your son, sometimes I contemplate disowning you and acknowledging him as my own. You should be proud of him and of your mate for providing you with such an extraordinary heir. Not only is he the strongest child on record, but he has his mothers intelligence. He may be young but it's obvious already. I know most Saiyan's are raised to believe emotional attachments and dependence on others is a sign of weakness, but it's not Vegeta. Think about it. Would you fight harder to protect yourself or to protect your mate and son? They make you stronger, they give you the strength you didn't have or know you needed."

"Why is everyone talking about my 'mate' as if I've already committed to the woman. Why are they speaking as if the brat was already born? They're talking about the woman right? Who else could they be talking about"

"They can be used against me. They're a weakness. If anyone with a grudge found out about them, they would be an easy target. Someone could easily go after them in order to hurt me."

"So you'd rather be alone for the rest of your life than allow yourself to be happy with a mate and son. Just because you're afraid someday something might happen to them?"

"I'm not a good man Mother! I've done horrible things. I don't deserve to be happy. I don't deserve them. The woman deserves much more than I'm able to give her."

"She's smart Vegeta. You should give her some credit. I'm sure she knows what kind of man you are regardless of what has happened in the past. She would not have had a son with a monster. You've already given her everything she could ask for."

"I have?"

"Yes. You've given her a mate and a son" He was about to respond when a slender familiar blonde woman approached them.

"They you are Mr. Vegeta! Everyone is getting antsy. Are you ready to start? I know my Bulma is pacing in her room. If you make her wait any longer she's going to get upset. We don't want to upset her today of all days do we!"

"The woman's mother. .why is she in the palace. The woman is here? What is she doing here?"

Before he could ask anymore questions, the doors in front of them opened. With a mother on each of his arms, they entered the throne room.

He was still extremely confused but after entering the throne room, he had an idea of what was happening, even thought he didn't understand how it was possible.

"This is a mating ceremony. The Earthlings call it a 'wedding' or something. I'm about to be mated to the woman officially. When did I decide to mate with her? I thought about it but I didn't make a decision"

The room was full of Earthlings and Saiyans, all of which bowed as they entered the room. There were two crowds of people divided by the aisle they were currently walking down. The aisle ended in front of the raised dais where the thrones usually sat. There were people standing there instead. People he wasn't fond of and people he never thought he would see again. To the left side of the dais stood Chi-Chi and Launch.

"I know that's Kakarot's harpy. Who is the woman with the dark blue hair? Wait. . isn't she the woman that goes bat shit crazy whenever she sneezes?"

In the middle of the dais stood the old pervert and Nappa. To the right was the Goku and Raditz.

"Of course Kakarot is here. I can't escape him. Nappa and Raditz. . . they're. . .alive? How?"

He never thought he would see them again and if he was being honest with himself, he missed them. He thought Raditz was an annoying idiot while growing up but that was before he met Kakarot. Nappa was getting old and losing his touch but he did regret killing his former guardian. It was his fault they were both dead, yet they didn't look angry or upset.

They almost look. . happy to see me. It's my fault Raditz is dead. I killed Nappa. How could they be happy to see me after what I did to them?"

Once they reached the dais, the mothers each kissed one of his cheeks and sat down with the rest of the guests.

"Who are all these people? Ah yes, Earth's sorry excuse for warriors. Also known as the woman's 'friends'. I see the weird talking pig man, a giant turtle, the bald midget, Triclops, the Namekian, the clown child that is always with Triclops, Scarface and his weird cat thing, and Kakarot's brat."

"There are quite a few Saiyans on that side of the room. Some of them look familiar but I can't remember their names except. . Bardock? . . . Gine?"

Before he was handed over to Frieza, he spent quite a lot of time with Bardock. Bardock always volunteered to spar with him when his Father was busy, which was quite often. He was the reason Raditz willingly went with Frieza. Gine always treated him like her own son. After his Mother died, he found himself spending more and more time with Gine. She made the loss a little less painful.

He wasn't sure what to do. He had never been to a royal mating ceremony on Vegetesai. If he had, he was too little to remember it. He had seen an Earthling wedding once. He had the misfortune of walking into the living room when Mrs. Briefs was watching television. She forced him to sit with her in exchange for food.

"Where is the woman and where is my Father? He said he was going to get "my woman", he had to mean Bulma. There's no one else it could be. Especially with all the idiots here."

"Hey Geets! Are you nervous? You look nervous but you shouldn't be. Bulma already said she would marry you. I don't think she would change her mind. . I mean. . she could still change her mind. . but it's not like she could runaway. There are guards all over the palace. I'm sure they would stop her" Goku said with a smile on his face.

Vegeta slowly turned around to see Goku smiling with his hand behind his neck. Before he could tell him off. Chi-Chi and Raditz spoke at the same time

"GOKU/KAKAROT SHUT UP".

"What? I didn't say anything wrong or mean. . I was just telling him he has no reason to be nervous!"

"Raditz. Smack him in the back of the head for me"

"Gladly Cheech"

"OW you guys what the heck!"

"Shut up clown! I'm not nervous. . I'm just. . . very confused" Vegeta said.

"What are you confused about short stack? It's your mating day. . er . . uh. . wedding day. What's so confusing about that?" said Nappa.

He turned back around to fully face Nappa. He wasn't sure what he should say to the man he spent more time with than his own Father. The man he murdered.

"Nappa. . you don't remember what happened? With Freiza, on Earth, with Vegetesai? Raditz? You don't remember either? I don't know how I got here. . I don't know what- -"

Before he could finish he felt something tug on his leg. He looked down to see a small child no older than 2, hobbling around on wobbly legs and grabbing onto his leg for support. He was wearing a black hat with cat ears. He had a tuft of lavender hair sticking out from underneath it. Behind him was a small lavender tail slowly waving from side to side.

"A Saiyan child with lavender hair? There has never been any Saiyans with such ridiculous coloring"

The more he looked at the child, the more familiar he was.

"He has the woman's eyes. The only other person I've seen with lavender hair is the woman's sire. The half breed from the future also had lavender hai-"

He stopped mid thought as the pieces started to slowly fall into place. He felt the tugging on his leg once again and looked down.

"Get lost brat!"

"Da. . up!"

He froze.

"Did he just call me dad?"

"DA! UP!" the boy yelled again.

"Vegeta for the love of god will you pick up your son before he gets upset. Just hold him until Bulma arrives. You know she will be angry if Trunks is upset because you refused to hold him. I'll take him during the ceremony" his mother said as she picked the boy up and placed him in his arms.

"This boy is my son. . and his name is Trunks? My son is the half breed from the future? That boy was not even in his 20's and already a Super Saiyan"

Staring at the boys face he can see the resemblance. He had the woman's eyes but his scowl. He wanted to see the kids power level but knew if he interrupted the ceremony to test it, his mother would have his tail. He leaned in close to Trunks ear and whispered.

"Boy. . hit me in the face as hard as you can".

Trunks leaned back with a confused look on his face. Vegeta couldn't tell whether or not he was confused by the request or confused because he didn't understand what he was telling him to do. He leaned closer to Trunks once more and whispered.

"I'm your father boy you will do as I say. Hit me in the face as hard as you can or I'll have your tail".

When he pulled away from Trunks ear, the look on the boys face was unnerving. It was like looking into a mirror. With a scowl on his face and a small growl the boy pulled back his fist and punched his father in the face as hard as he could. The blow was hard enough to bust his lip and whip his head back.

Suddenly the room was quiet. The look on Trunks face was a mix between fear, regret, and pride. Fear over what his Grandmother and Mother would do, regret for making his Father bleed, and pride for being able to hit him hard enough to do so. The room was quiet, until Vegeta started laughing, near hysterically. The Saiyans followed suit while the Earthlings looked confused, not understanding what exactly they just witnessed.

"You're definitely my brat with a punch like that boy."

A huge smile appeared on the boys face.

"He has the woman's smile"

The boy wrapped his tail around Vegeta's arm right before the Queen appeared to take him from his arms. Trunks tail got tighter and refused to let go.

"Go with your Grandmother boy. Your mother is coming and she won't be happy if she sees you clinging to me".

Trunks slowly unwrapped his tail from Vegeta's arm and did what he was told. Music started playing and the crowd stood. He felt a heavy hand on his shoulder, turning around he saw Nappa leaning down to him.

"Ready kid?" he asked Vegeta.

With a frown he turned around and focused on the throne room doors as they opened.

Any doubts he had about making Bulma his mate instantly vanished when she walked into the throne room. The the King was on one arm and her Father on the other. All thoughts in general completely left him. He lost the ability to coherently form thoughts. The crowd, the music, the people on the dais with him, his parents, his son, everything disappeared. He had no idea how he got there. He had no idea how his parents were alive and there. He had no idea how he was on Vegetesai, but it didn't matter. All he saw was her.

"Why the hell is she walking so damn slow? Woman get your ass up here so I can claim you as mine"

She was wearing a long white form fitting dress which accentuated every curve of her body. There was a slit on each side that went all the way up to her thigh, exposing her long legs. Instead of a low cut top meant to show off her breasts like her other dresses, it had white corset like armor. It was similar to his armor but was strapless and form fitting. He couldn't tell whether she planned to dance in it or slaughter her enemies in it. He had never seen a more beautiful sight.

When she finally got to him he reached out to gently take her hand in his before pulling her up to stand directly in front of him. Master Roshi was to officiate the Earthling part of the ceremony and Nappa was to officiate the Saiyan part.

"God help us. Out of all people to wed us, the old pervert and Nappa were chosen."

One of them started to speak but he wasn't sure what they were saying. All he could do was focus on her. She stared at him with complete adoration in her big blue eyes and a huge smile on her face. He would never forget the look on her face for as long as he lived.

At some point he was supposed to respond to a question the Master Roshi asked. He had no idea what was said and was about to ask when there was a loud explosion coming from outside the throne room.


	3. Deja Vu

All of the Saiyans instantly went into battle mode and crouched into different battle stances within the throne room. The Earthling fighters stood in a protective circle around Bulma's parents, Launch, and Chi-Chi. Trunks immediately squirmed out of the Queens arms and hobbled over to Bulma. There was another explosion, this one closer than the previous one. Shouting and yelling could be heard along with the sounds of multiple ki blasts. The King started giving orders to the various Saiyans in the throne room. He turned to give orders to his men and the Earthlings.

"Raditz and Nappa, take the woman and the boy somewhere safe. Take the Harpy and the half breed as well".

"Uncle Vegeta! I want to fight too! You know how strong I am" Gohan yelled at him with a serious frown on his face. Chi-Chi immediately started to argue with him trying in vain to talk him out of fighting.

_"Did the brat just call me Uncle Vegeta?. . That's new. . . I hate it. I will definitely be addressing that at a later time."_

"What about me Geets? Where do you want me?" Goku asked.

He wasn't sure what he should say.

_"What I WANT is for you to go to hell while I handle the threat alone"_

His Mother's words echoed in his mind. He knew it was his duty to protect his people and to protect his family. As painful as it was to admit, Goku was stronger than him and he needed his help.

"Kakarot. . I . . I need you by my side. As much as it pains me to admit. . . you're the strongest Saiyan here. You're the only Super Saiyan. I have no idea who or what is on the other side of that door. The only way to get our mates and brats out of here safely ,is to kill anything and anyone that tries to enter this room, understand?'

"I understand Vegeta! I'm by your side no matter what's on the other side of those doors!" Goku said with a huge smile on his face.

"_I want to punch you in the face. . so bad my hands are shaking"_

The throne room doors were suddenly blasted off the hinges. The sound and force of the explosion made his ears ring. He thought for a moment he had actually lost his hearing because the room was so quiet. Once he heard the Trunks crying, he knew that wasn't the case.

_"There are at least 100 people in this room, it should not be this quiet."_

Once the smoke cleared the first thing he looked for was Bulma and Trunks. Raditz was holding Bulma and Chi-Chi. Goku was holding the Trunks and Gohan. Nappa was protectively standing over the King and the Queen. Everyone else was gone, vanished. If it wasn't for the blood he would have never believed the room had been full of people minutes ago.

There was blood everywhere, splattered on the walls, and all over the floor, but there were no bodies. The King pushed Nappa aside and stood.

"Is everyone o-".

Before he could finish, a loud high pitched maniacal laughter came from the doorway. Vegeta's face instantly paled as his blood ran cold. He knew who that laughter belonged to. The smoke cleared and there stood Freiza.

_"No. He is dead. The people responsible for his defeat and his death are standing in this room."_

"How is this possible. . . we killed you. . . " Vegeta asked

"Oh my pet monkey. . .how I've missed you! Did you really think you could abandon me? After everything I've done for you? Not only did you abandon me but you took a mate and have an heir. Tsk tsk tsk. . . I specifically forbade you from breeding. Yet here you are, at your own mating ceremony, and you didn't even invite me. You wound me Vegeta."

He was speechless. Everything that had happened in the past couple of hours made no sense. After a while he just started to roll with it. He had his planet back, his mother, his father, Raditz, Nappa, his son, and he was about to marry the woman. Why ruin it by asking too many questions? But this. . .

_"I can't go through this again. Not with the woman and the boy here. Frieza will hurt them just to hurt me. I have to think of something. I need to get them out of here."_

"What is the meaning of this Freiza! You barge into my palace, interrupt my sons ceremony, and make empty threats!" the King bellowed.

"King Vegeta. . who said my threats were empty?'

It happened so fast, he wasn't even sure what happened. His father confronted Frieza. He heard his mothrer scream, he saw a flash of red, then everything went black. When he opened his eyes, he was sitting on the dais of the throne room alone. The room was hazy, as if it there was a thick fog billowing throughout it, making it hard to see. He wasn't sure what he was seeing once the fog started to dissipate in one part of the room.

_"There's no way this could have happened. Not with Kakarot here, not with the legendary Super Saiyan on our side"_

Everyone was dead. The King was dead from a beam to his heart in the middle of the throne room. The Queen was dead, draped across his body as if trying to shield him from the blast. Goku, Chi-Chi, and Gohan were dead and huddled next to each other. Raditz and Nappa were dead near Bulma's parents. He started to stand slowly, trying to absorb the sight before him.

He made his way to the bodies of his mother and father and knelt down next to them. He had to watch his Father die before, it was something he would never forget. But his Mother had died when he was younger, he didn't watch her die. He just got her back and now she was gone again. Leaning down close to his Mother, he kissed her on the cheek and backed away.

As he stood the realized Bulma and Trunks were gone.

_"They're not dead. If they were dead their bodies would be here with everyone else. Which means Frieza has the. . That's a fate worse than death. Death would inevitably be kinder."_

He immediately mentally chastising himself for even thinking such a thing. He started walking towards the throne room doors when he heard her.

"Vegeta. . " she said in almost a whisper.

"Woman! Where are you? Where's the boy? Tell me where you are. I'll come to you!" he called while trying desperately to wave away the fog still lingering throughout different parts of the room.

"Vegeta. . he has Trunks. . he has our son" Bulma cried to his right.

He ran to the right side of the room where he found her huddle in the corner, covered in blood. He picked her up, wrapped his cape around her, and looked her up and down, checking for injuries.

"I'm not hurt. . It's not my blood. . . Trunks. . . he has Trunks" she said between breaths while shaking and sobbing.

He gasped as he absorbed what she said..

_"The blood. . she's covered in blood. . is it my sons? Is he dead? Did I fail to protect him like my father failed to protect me? I failed. I was supposed to protect them and I failed."_

He heard a shrill scream coming from the center of the room. The fog cleared to reveal a terrified Trunks, also covered in blood. Frieza held him up by the back of his neck with his right hand. He was holding Bulma by the throat with his other left hand. Vegeta quickly turned around, expecting Bulma to still be standing behind him.

_"She was standing right behind me. I put my cape on her. How did he get to her? He can't be that fast." _

"Well look what I have here. Two new pets! A baby monkey and a universally known scientist. It must be my birthday! I didn't even have to work that hard to find them. All I had to do was look for you my little prince. You may as well have handed them over to me yourself. I do thank you for saving me the trouble."

"Vegeta don't listen to him. You know he's full of shit. This isn't your fault!" Bulma cried.

She let out a small whimper as Freiza tightened his grip on her throat. He took a step forward, trying to slowly make his way closer to them. Trunks continued screaming and kicking. His arms were outstretched towards Vegeta, as if mentally begging his Father to rescue him from the man currently holding him.

"Frieza. Let them go" he said through gritted teeth as he tried to control his temper.

He knew one wrong move, one wrong word, could end Bulma's life or Trunk's.

"You want me. They're nothing to you. I'm the one that disobeyed your orders. I'm the one that rebelled against you. Let them go and I'll return to your service. I'll continue purging planets like I did in the past. I'll follow orders. I'll do whatever you want" The anger within him was so intense he felt lightheaded.

"My little prince has grown up. I never thought I'd see the day you'd care for anyone other than yourself. Quite frankly. . I'm disappointed in you. However, I can't deny that you were my best soldier. So ruthless. So bloodthirsty. Hmm. . what to do what to do." Freiza said as he rubbed his chin between his finger and thumb as if he was thinking on a solution.

Vegeta took another step towards them.

"I've made up my mind monkey. You will come back to me and we will pretend like this whole thing never happened".

Vegeta glanced at Bulma, tears ran down her face as she tried to shake her head to silently tell him not to do agree to that.

"But of course. . I cannot let your discretion go unpunished". Bulma froze while Vegeta's eyes quickly left Bulma's to glance back at Frieza.

"I don't need another monkey running around my ship. One is enough. I have no use for a screaming half breed. Say goodbye to your son Vegeta".

He tried to grab Trunks before Frieza could make a move, but he couldn't reach him in time. Trunks stopped screaming and made eye contact with him right before he heard a "snap". The most unsettling scream he had ever heard came out of Bulma's mouth. He had purged countless planets, slaughtered millions, including mothers and their children. But he had never heard a scream filled with so much pain and anguish. His son was dead.

He dropped to one knee, fearing his legs would go out from under him completely. Bulma stopped screaming and she stopped fighting to escape Frieza's grasp. The shock of what she had witnessed set in.

"This is a dream. This is just a really bad dream. I'm going to wake up at any moment with the woman lying next to me or screeching at me about one thing or another. None of this is happening. Freiza is dead. Kakarot fought him on Namek. My son from the future killed him. None of this is real" he told himself repeatedly.

His arm and his leg suddenly exploded with pain. Looking down, he could see blood pouring out of a small wound on his left shoulder and his right kneecap. He looked up and saw Frieza staring at him with his finger outstretched and aimed at him.

"Did that feel real to you Prince Vegeta or do you still think you're dreaming? You're pathetic. Only a weak pathetic monkey would grow so attached to some powerless Earth women and her half breed bastard. You're a disgrace to the Saiyan race. You don't deserve to call yourself a warrior. I should just snap your neck like I did your sons and be done with it. However, I am not without mercy" Frieza said with a sinister smile on his face.

"I'll let you live. You will no longer be in my service. You will live your life as a free man. I will not hunt you down. You are free to go and do as you please. . alone". Vegeta's head snapped up and immediately looked into Bulma's eyes.

"Frieza. . . I am begging you. Please let her go. You've taken my son from me. I'll do whatever you want. I won't put up a fight. Just let her go."

Fuck his pride. If what his Mother and Father said were true, they wouldn't look down on him for begging if it meant protecting his woman. They said they were already proud of him.

He continued looking into Bulma's eyes as she silently continued to cry. They both knew what was about to happen and they both knew they were powerless to stop it. Knowing his words had set in and so did the realization that they were powerless, Freiza raised his glowing outstretched hand to Bulma's back. Looking down at his leg, Vegeta tried to stand when he heard Bulma whisper.

"Vegeta. . I love you"

He lifted his head to look at her but there was a flash of light so bright he had to close his eyes. Without opening his eyes he knew she was dead. The smell of burning flesh and the sound of her body hitting the ground confirmed it. When he opened his eyes, it was to the sight Frieza tossing her lifeless body next to the body of his infant son.

His whole body started to tremble. His eyes stung as tears started streaming down his face. The pain and anger he felt was unlike anything he had experienced in his life. He thought he knew pain. He was practically immune to it. His body had been through every type of torture imaginable over the years. This pain was new, it was a pain beyond words. He felt energy radiating off of him in waves. His blood felt like it was on fire.

"You killed my mother and my father. . . you destroyed my planet. . . you killed my race. . . my people. . you killed my friends. . ." he said while gasping for air between words.

His muscles felt as if they were being torn apart. The fire in his blood was making it hard to speak.

"You killed my son. . and you killed my woman. . you killed my BULMA!" Vegeta shouted before a violent guttural scream left his lips. It was as if something inside him snapped. He knew he had power buried inside him, as if it was behind a locked door and he didn't have the key. He instantly felt all that hidden power he hadn't been able to reach explode out of every fiber of his being. All at once the power erupted from his chest and traveled through every inch of his body. The smile from Frieza's face fell as a look of complete fear and dread replaced it. Vegeta suddenly saw a bright flash of golden light as the pain stopped and everything went black.

He woke up screaming.


	4. Awake

When he opened his eyes, he was screaming and his face was wet from tears. He wasn't sure how long he had been screaming but judging by the pain in his throat, he assumed it had been a while. He tried to get up but every muscle in his body felt as if it was on fire. Trying to calm down, he took a few deep breaths and looked around the room.

_"It was all a dream"_

He rubbed is hands down his face a couple times, as if he could rub the memory of the dream away. It was past midnight, the room should have been dark, but instead it was glowing with a gold pulsating light. He immediately knew why. He ascended. He was now the legendary Super Saiyan.

_"The dream was so realistic. . the loss of the woman and the boy must have. . must have triggered it. The damn woman was right. It was an emotional response. I had the power to ascend the entire time. . . I just couldn't access it. She was the key to unlocking the power. . the boy was the key. . .they both were." _

He should have been happy, he had finally accomplished his goal. He could finally defeat the androids and Kakarot. Kakarot. But he wasn't happy, all he felt was panic and dread.

_"The woman! Where is she? She's not dead. She can't be. It was a dream."_

Sensing her ki, he ran to her lab, faster than he thought was possible.

She jumped when she heard him violently open the lab door, practically pulling it off the hinges. She didn't turn around right away, knowing who had caused the noise. After a few moments of silence. She slowly turned around without making eye contact.

"Vegeta, fix my door and leave please. I don't have time to deal with your shit right now, Whatever you broke just-"

She stopped mid sentence when she looked up and saw a Super Saiyan standing in the doorway.

The annoyed look on Bulma's face quickly turned into a look of admiration and pride.

"I didn't mean what I said before. I knew you could do it! I knew you had it in you!"

She said with a huge smile before noticing his look of distress on his face. Before she could ask what was wrong, he grabbed her by the hips and pulled her as close to him as he possibly could, without saying a word.

Leaning down, he buried his face deep into her hair and inhaled her scent. She started to run her hand through his hair when she felt him trembling and heard him sniffle.

"OMG Vegeta are you ok? What's wrong? Are you hurt? Did something happen?" she said in a worried voice.

Vegeta slowly pulled out of her embrace and powered down. Looking into her eyes, he cupped the side of her face with one hand while placing his other hand on her stomach. "I was . . . wrong . . and you were . . .right" he said quietly with some hesitation. "I didn't mean what I said and I'm. . sorry".

She was speechless. Not only had he admitted he was wrong, but he apologized.

_"Something must have really gotten to him for him to behave like this. Especially after finally ascending. Instead of bragging about his achievement and his superiority, he is clinging to me as if he was drowning and I'm the only thing keeping him afloat_."

"Vegeta. . I'm sorry too. I shouldn't-"

Before she could finish her sentence he crushed his lips to hers almost painfully. This kiss was unlike any they had shared in the past. This was full of emotion and desperation. After the two broke apart to gasp for air, he placed his forehead against hers. With his eyes closed he said

"I . . I love you too . . Bulma"

Before she could reply he pulled her into another deeply passionate kiss, grabbed her by the hand, and lead her out of the lab.

"I'm tired. Let's go to bed".


End file.
